The Plantronics Voyager 5200 Is a Road Warrior’s Dream

I believe I’ve mentioned before that Bluetooth headsets are not really fun to review. Headphones, yes. Headsets, no. Part of it is because I’m not a driver. These are absolutely something every driver should have. I do not care if your car has a built-in hands-free system. I hate to break it to you, but no one actually likes talking to you on that thing. NO ONE. Plus, if you’re a parent in a car full of kids, then every call becomes a conference call.

There are, thankfully, several companies that want to make your Bluetooth headset experience more enjoyable. Plantronics is one of the biggest names in the business, having first started out with wired headsets. The Voyager 5200 is their latest, and is made for the serious road warrior. The problem is, as a non-driver,  how was I going to do such a keen device justice?

Meet my mom. She’s an active member of the board of several non-profits, plus has 20+ grandchildren (I have lost count!). To say she is constantly on the phone is an understatement. For her, a quality Bluetooth headset is a must. All but one of her past headsets have failed to live up to her high expectations (something we have in common) and that one is not made anymore. And so I handed her the Voyager 5200.

The Voyager 5200 hit almost all her sweet spots. She found it worked almost perfectly, with all calls coming in crisp and clear and callers unable to tell she was on a headset. The only issues were with VOIP providers like MagicJack, and those likely had nothing to do with the headset.

The easy integration with Siri (or Google Now) was a favorite feature as well. She did have some small cosmetic issues; as an orthodox Jew, my mother wears a wig in public, and sometimes the over-the-ear style of the Voyager did not work well with some wigs. It can also be an issue with some glasses frames.

But the favorite feature of the Voyager 5200 is not appearance or even the great function. No, it’s the awesome charger case. Why should you spend $33 on a carry case for a bluetooth headset? Because it’s also a rapid-charging power bank for the headset. Instead of fumbling with cords, you just set your Voyager 5200 in the case (one of two ways) and the up to 17 hours of power flows right in.

Let’s be clear on something – at over $120, the Voyager 5200 is a high-end device and a serious investment. Add in that case and you’re talking over $150. But if you’re someone who leads a busy business lifestyle and needs a headset that’s more than an afterthought, then you need to look at the 5200. If the sticker price is too high, keep an eye out for sales at retailers like Best Buy.

Plantronics provided me with both the Voyager 5200 and the charge case. This totally counts as a birthday gift for my mom, right? I don’t need to give her a card or anything?

Stop looking at me like I’m a monster.